Process of removing acid reaction products from oil



Patented Aug. 20, 1929.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C'. BLACK, OF DESTREHAN, LOUISIANA, WIRT D. RIAL, OF- LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AND JOHN R. MCCONNELL, OF WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO PAN AMERICAN PETROLEUM COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A COR- PORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF REMOVING ACID REACTION PRODUCTS FROM OIL.

' No Drawing.

The process of this application is directed to a method 'of purifying oils, particularly to a method of treating oils in which the oil is treated with an acid, such as sulphuric acid for the purpose of improving the quality of the oil. 1

As is well known, petroleum distillates are treated with sulphuric acid forthe purpose of removing bodies present in the distillates, which bodies impart objectionable qualities to the oil. The treatment of the oil with sulphuric acid converts certain portions of the oil into acheavy, tarry material, which acid material as possible before treating with ya neutralizing'medium, in order that the amount of neutralizing medium necessary shall be reduced to aslow a point as possible. v 1

Itis therefore an object of our inventionto devise a method for removing this residual acid material which remains dispersed in the oil after the settling of the acid sludge.

We have found that pitches, such as petroleum pitches, for instance, asphalt, petroleum coke, and coal tar pitches, act to aglomerate 'and coagulate this ppery s udge. The preferred pitches are t e hard pitches or coky tars. leum coke, hard asphalts such as 1 or 2 pene- 40 tration, hard coal tar pitches, etc. may be employed. On treating an oil containing this peppery sludge with these pitches, a coky,

.tar-like product is obtained, while, the remaining oil is purified and substantially free of the peppery sludge.

1 As an example, illustrative of the method of carrying out this invention, the following may be given: Lubricating oil which has been acid treated and has had the acid sludge removed, and which contains the peppery sludge, is treated with about 1 or 2% of pitch,.for instance a hard coal tar pitch or a. petroleum pitch such as 1 or 2 penetration For instance petro- Application filed October 13, 1926. Serial No. 141,421.

asphalt or etroleum coke, and the mixture heated to a out 300 F. The mixture is agitated to insure uniform treatment of the oil with the pitch. A coky, tar-likeresidue is obtained which settles out and is removed. The oil free of peppery sludge may be further treated with a neutralizing and with a decolorizing medium or a decolorizing medium alone. i

The pitch may be introduced in either a liquid or a solid. condition. Inemploying the pitch in a liquid form, the melted pitch is introduced into the oil, heated above or at the melting point of the pitch, the mixture is then heated if necessary, to 300 F. more or less, uniform admixture of the oil and pitch insured, and the treatment finlished as above described.

--It will be found that the amount of neutralizing medium employed is considerably less than that which must be employed if the peppery sludge is not first agglomerated by the treatment above described. It will be found that by employing suflicient amount of the agglomerant the oil may be'rendered free of acid bodies and be neutral. We also found that the reaction is affected where heat is applied but will operate at ordinary temperatures. The amount of agglomerant employed depends on the viscosity of the oil, the amount of peppery sludge inthe oil and on the temperature.

The pitch, however, may be employed in a solid condition, in which case the, pitch is disintegrated into a powder of about 60 mesh. It is then introduced'into the oil, treating as above .described.

If a decolorizing and neutralizing clay is employed in the purification of the oil, the

,oil, after the removal of the acid sludge, may I be treated with a mixture of neutralizin and decolorizingclay containingthe required proportion ofpowdered pitch. The oil is heated to about 300 F. more or less, as is usual in the treatment with neutralizing and decolorizing clay, and it will be found that the peppery sludge is agglomerated and coa-. lesced, and: that the amount of neutralizing clay necessary is less than that'which must be employed if the pitch were not used.

We claim 1. A process of purifying petroleum oil distillates, comprising treating a petroleum oil distillate with sulphuric acid, and treating the acid-treated oil with a pitch to separate the acid reaction products present in said oil, and moving the thus purified oil. 5 2. A process of purifying petroleum oil .distillates, comprising treating a petroleum oil distillate with sulphuric acid, separating the acid slud e, treating said separated oil at an elevate temperature with a pitch to precipitate the peppery sludge remaining in the 011, and separating the purified oil from said precipitate.

3. process of purifying petroleum oil distillates, comprising treating a petroleum oil distillate with sulphuric acid, and treating the acid-treated oils with a petroleum pitch to separate the acid reaction products present in said oil, and removing the thus purified oil. 7 4. A processof purifying petroleum oi distillates comprising treating a petroleum oil distillate with sulphuric acid, separatin v the acid sludge, treating the said separated oil at an elevated tem erature with a pctroleum pitch to preclpitate the peppery sludge remaining in the oil, and separating the qlilrified oil from said recipitate.

the process of puri ing petroleum n is hereby cei'tified the above numbered patent 'requiri l, for the word "inovihg" rea be read with this correction therein the of the casein the t Patent Office.

(Seal) CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

JOHN C. BLACK ET acid, separating the acid sludge, and t1'cat-' ing the separated oil with a petroleum pitch to precipitate the peppery sludge remaining in the oil.

8. In the process of purifying petroleumoil distillates, the'stcps comprising treating a petroleum oil distillate with sulphuric acid and treating the acid treated oil with a petroleum pitch at an elevated temperature tolprecipitate acid reaction products in said 01 JOHN C. BLACK.

WIRT D. RIAL.

JOHN R. MoCONN ELL.

chimed August 20, 1929, to

AL. l

V t error appears in the printed specification of the ng correction as follows:

d "'removing"; and the said Page 2, line 4, claim Letters Patent should the same may conform to the record Signed and sealed this 15th day of October, 7

M. J. Moore, 1 Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

